I have never had the good fortune to go to any other country except India before 2017. I went on an official tour twice and the rest three times. I was planning to go to India again, but suddenly it came to my mind that I have visited India many times, so let's go somewhere new.
Ever since I was a child, I had a strong desire to visit the Himalayas, so I thought I would visit ''the Himalayan girl'' Nepal this time.
Having very little time on hand, I had to get rid of the thought of getting an India transit visa and going to Nepal by road. I saw that not only me but all of my four friends were planning to go with me this time. The final decision is that this time our destination will be Bhutan, a land of great beauty and peace, located in the Himalayan valley.
Another big reason for this was that Bangladeshi citizens are given Bhutan on arrival visas, so there will be no problem in getting a visa in advance.
As soon as the decision was finalized, the journey began. The only means of air travel to Bhutan is Drukair, the state-owned airline of Bhutan, which operates flights between Dhaka and Paro, the only international airport in Bhutan, three days a week.
With only 15/16 days left of the tour, the price of each return ticket fell to Taka 25,000. Thus, if you buy a ticket a couple of months ago, you can get a return ticket for only 22 to 23 thousand Bangladeshi Taka.
It is worth mentioning that our tour was from December 23 to December 26. Then it was time to fix the hotel. I made hotel bookings in Thimphu and Paro through booking.com.
We planned to spend the first two nights in Thimphu and the last two nights in Paro. However, the bad thing is that the hotel Bhutan Boutique Residency, informed us 6/7 days before the tour, they have canceled all the bookings for the next 15 days due to cold weather. Anyway, I finally managed a lot and led two rooms at Hotel Khamsum Inn in Thimphu.
The hotel was almost full at the time because of the Christmas break in between our tours. The hotel rent in Thimphu is Taka 2,500 per room per night and Taka 2,800 in Paro, but breakfast was included in the hotel in Paro.
Day 1
I started my journey from Dhaka Airport at 1.45 pm on December 23 and reached Paro International Airport after a 1-hour trip. Paro has a beautiful airport, just like the picture. Quickly gave the on-arrival visa seal in the passport from immigration.
From there, I bought a tourist SIM of Tashi cell for 250 Indian rupees where there was talk time of 50 rupees as well as 2 GB of data.
It is better to say that the call rate from Bhutan to Bangladesh is 15 rupees per minute. The Bhutanese currency Gultram and the Indian Rupee are of equal value, and the Indian Rupee runs alongside the Gultram everywhere in Bhutan.
Then we came out of the airport and started looking for a taxi to Thimphu, the distance from Paro Airport to Thimphu is about 50 kilometers. At first, I wanted a fare of 1800 rupees, but later I got a taxi for 1400 rupees at a bargain price and reached our hotel Khamsum Inn in Thimphu around 5 pm.
This winding mountain journey is one of the most memorable adventures of my life. The natural beauty on both sides of the road is impossible to describe in words. After a short rest at the hotel, we walked to Clock Tower Square, just 10 minutes' walk from our hotel, which is in the heart of Thimphu.
However, even though it is the heart of the city, it is not as crowded as our Farmgate or Gulistan (Bangladesh).
It is not possible because the total population of Bhutan is only 6 million, and the population of Thimphu is about 120,000!
In the Clock Tower, there are numerous shops for essential shopping and plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants. Almost each of which sells beef and chicken as well as pork.
Probably because our Bengali nose is not accustomed to the smell of pork, when we enter any restaurant, we smell peculiar. In addition to meat, the restaurants offer various dishes such as potato- parota, chaomin, momo, rice, pulses, etc., but we did not find fish anywhere.
The price of the food is quite reasonable, at around 300-400 rupees, one person can eat three meals very well. Another interesting fact is that although smoking is completely banned in Bhutan, but drinking is legal in public, so every restaurant sells a variety of hard drinks. We first exchanged the dollar from a money exchange, then walked around a bit and ate a full meal at the restaurant, and hurried back to the hotel. When we went there, Thimphu's temperature dropped to zero (0) degrees at 9 pm, so there was no way to stay out for long.
Day 2
The next morning I got up and walked to the Thimphu immigration office, 1 km away from our hotel. Because everyone is not only allowed to go to Thimphu and Paro. Tourists must get a permit from the Thimphu Immigration Office to visit any other place in Bhutan.
Arriving at 8:30 am, I heard that the office would open at 9:00 am. I thought I should eat in this gap, but I saw that no restaurant opens before 9 am. Moreover, since the food is prepared after ordering, it takes about 30/35 minutes to serve the food.
Anyway, after filling out the Punakha Form at the Immigration Office, we rented a taxi for four people for Rs 2200 and went on a Thimphu City Tour as it takes a minimum of 2/3 hours to get the permit.
First, we went to the famous Buddha Point. Located on a hilltop in Thimphu, Buddha Point has the world's most giant Buddha statue and a museum. Going closer, it seems that the tall Buddha has reached the sky. How this vast statue was made on the top of the hill is an extreme wonder. There is no entry fee.
I then visited Bhutan's National Memorial Chorten, a historical and, at the same time, a famous religious site. The entry fee here is 300 rupees per person.
From there, I went to the National Folk Heritage Museum. There are several specimens of ancient Bhutanese heritage, as well as various souvenirs sold outside the museum. Entry fee is Rs. 50.
In the afternoon, I went to visit Thimphu's most famous Jung (Jung means fort/palace) i.e., Thimphu Jung, which is simultaneously the King's Office and famous religious site. If you don't see with your own eyes what an incredible fort it is on the banks of a calm river, you can't believe it.
When all the fort's lights were lit in the evening, it seemed like a fairytale palace. Entry fee is Rs. 300.
On the way back to the hotel from Thimphu Jung, a lot of shopping was done at the famous Handicrafts Market in Thimphu in the area adjacent to the immigration office. In this market, you can buy the best things at the lowest prices.
Day 3
According to our plan, we checked out at the hotel at 8 am and left for Punakha, about 62 km from Thimphu. Punakha is a beautiful place, until 1955, it was the administrative capital of Bhutan. At the check post on the way, the traffic police permitted to go to Punakha.
On the way to Punakha, there will be an excellent "Dochula Pass" where every tourist inevitably stops. The natural beauty surrounding the Dochula Pass is even more remarkable than the setting around it. Standing on the top of the hill, the clouds floating in front of the eyes. The pine forest and the dotted houses in the heart of the valley far below, evoke an eerie feeling in the mind.
On the way to Punakha from "Dochula Pass," it is seen that two rivers are running side by side. The two rivers named "Po Chhu" and "Mo Chhu."
Punakha dzong is one of Punakha's most interesting installations from where all the administrative activities of Bhutan were once conducted. The main entrance to this high rust is extraordinarily beautiful. A vast bell was rung to announce the time of entry and exit. Entry fee is Rs. 300.
The main attraction of Punakha is "Suspension Bridge." When crossing this suspension bridge, which is about 160 meters long, 50-60 meters above the river, its strong swing will make even the bravest people tremble. Extraordinary adventures and thrills are a thing, but maybe someone with a weak heart should not show this adventure.
At the end of the adventure, we left at 4 pm and finally crossed the 120 km from Punakha at 9 pm and reached our residence Nirvana Lodge and Homestay. On the way, we ate a little something. And from the beginning to the end, we hired a taxi for the whole day for 3600 rupees.
Day 4
The next day, after breakfast, we went out for the main attraction of the Bhutan tour "Tiger Nest." The day before, I had rented a car for Rs 2,200.
Tiger Nest is a very famous rust located on the top of a hill at an altitude of 10,000 feet above sea level, where you have to walk for about 4 hours to reach an altitude of at least 6,000 feet.
The main attraction for Bhutanese travelers is to reach the top of the Tiger Nest. Anyway, unfortunately none of the 4 of us made it to the top.
Going halfway to Tiger Nest, I finally got tired, crashed, and drove to Paro Airport View Point. From here, you can get a magnificent bird's eye view of Paro Airport.
I went to the Bhutan National Library, located on the top of a high hill, but could not get inside because time was running out. However, the unique view of the valley that I got from the library premises was not found anywhere else in the entire tour. It was as if I could see a kingdom in front of my eyes. So beautiful! Then I wandered around Paro Market for a while, but seeing the impossible price of everything, I didn't buy anything else.
We finally had dinner at an Indian restaurant and returned to the hotel. It was unbearably cold that day, minus (-) 6 degrees was the night temperature.
Day 5
The next day, December 26, our flight was at 11.45 in the morning. So there was no scope to go anywhere else that day.
I left for the airport at 9 o'clock after breakfast at the hotel. I did some shopping like Bhutanese organic honey, jam from the duty-free shop at the airport.
Some essential information on Bhutan tour:
If you travel by plane, you have to get a ticket at least two months in advance
You have to book the hotel in advance during the peak season, otherwise it will be tough to find a hotel.
Tourist SIMs should be bought from the airport, buying SIMs in Thimphu is a big hassle
Even if you forget and smoke in public, you will have to pay a hefty fine. The use of polythene is also legally punishable in Bhutan.
We have to avoid the Bhutan tour during such severe winter (December-January). The best times to travel are September-November and February-April. It is better not to include breakfast in the hotel. Because they will charge Rs. 400/500, but the price of the food you give in the outside restaurant will be maximum Rs. 60/70.
Always cross the road with a zebra crossing because all vehicles in Bhutan stop in front of the zebra crossing
All kinds of shopping have to be done in Thimphu because of the impossible price of everything in Paro. Bhutan is a very environmentally conscious country, with 71% of its total forest area.
It is the only carbon negative country in the world. Every city in Bhutan, every area is impossibly clean. So we have to make sure that any of us does not ruin the environment of Bhutan.